John's Vashon Preparedness Blog

All of John Cornelison's blogs are listed on this page chronologically. Use the Calendar or Search functions in the right column to search through time, via keyword, or look at the parent blog page to view all authors' posts.

John's Recent Blogs

Author: Created: 6/15/2010 5:35 PM RssIcon
Disaster news and links of interest for Vashonites
By John Cornelison on 8/7/2013 8:28 AM
Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) LogoWireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) provide free notifications of imminent threats to safety or missing persons to your mobile device. In order to receive WEAs, you must have a capable device and be located in an area (e.g., county) targeted by Authorized Senders to receive one of 3 types of alerts:

Presidential Alerts – Alerts issued by the President or a designee; Imminent Threat Alerts – Alerts that include severe man-made or natural disasters, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, etc., where an imminent threat to life or property exists; and AMBER Alerts– Alerts that meet the U.S. Department of Justice's criteria to help law enforcement search for and locate...
By John Cornelison on 7/15/2013 7:55 AM
NASA's illustration depicting space weather's effects on human eectrical systemsAs our culture becomes ever more dependent on electricity, the current distribution system has a huge vulnerability – induced current from external electrical flux.

One source of such an Electro Magnetic Pulse (EMP) would be a nuclear bomb (or a dedicated gamma ray bomb that North Korea...
By John Cornelison on 7/11/2013 1:30 PM
US Earthquake Risk, according to the USGSCrowdsourcing is being used as early indicator of earthquakes according to an article at: www.homelandsecuritynewswire.com/dr20130711-using-crowdsourcing-for-earthquake-monitoring. The full, original report is...
By John Cornelison on 7/5/2013 7:50 AM
WMO-No.1119The World Meteorological Organization has just released its report, “The Global Climate 2001-2010, A decade of climate extremes”, along with a Summary Report, WMO-No. 1119.

...
By John Cornelison on 7/4/2013 1:13 PM
Overview of Vashon's Status and Systems for Disaster Response

VashonBePrepared.org-nhn-tr.100x469This 3-hour overview, VashonBePrepared 101, is a great introduction to the systems in place on Vashon for major disasters, and an update on the status of our readiness.  It's free and open to the public, with a packed agenda covering all the components we have assembled here to work in partnership...
By John Cornelison on 6/24/2013 9:56 AM
http://tribkcpq.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/redcrossbikes.jpgSome 50 cyclists tested their disaster preparedness skills at the 1st Seattle Disaster Relief Trial. It was held near the University of Washington on June 21st.

According to their Facebook event listing:

“Imagine a 7.2-magnitude earthquake hitting the Seattle Fault. Freeway overpasses crumble, a Lake Washington sieche (oscillating wave) takes chunks out of bridges. Motor vehicles are rendered useless, but following the example of Sandy Relief by bike, Seattle residents with bikes and trailers or cargo bikes are able to transport food and medical...
By John Cornelison on 6/21/2013 9:27 AM
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/billions/images/billion-dollar-disaster-map-2012.jpgThe U.S. National Climatic Data Center’s (NCDC) announced that according to their 2012 weather and climate disasters information, 2012 saw 11 weather and climate disaster events each with losses exceeding $1 billion in damages. This makes 2012 the second costliest year since 1980, with a total of more than $110 billion in damages throughout the year. The 2012 total damages rank only behind 2005, which incurred $160 billion in damages due in part to four devastating land-falling hurricanes.

The 2012 billion-dollar events included seven severe weather and tornado events, two tropical...
By John Cornelison on 6/17/2013 10:39 AM
TornadoHistoryProject's Map of WA TornadosWhile Puget Sound rarely sees tornados, they certainly are possible, with 3 tornadoes in the 1960’s alone. www.TornadoHistoryProject.com offers a list of them and can also map them.

...
By John Cornelison on 6/17/2013 6:09 AM
6-17-2013 at 7.06.45 AMLast October, the American Red Cross released a free Wildfire App for iPhone and Android platforms, which allows users to track blazes this summer.

Features: • Step-by-step instructions let you know what to do even before/during/after an wildfire, even if no data connectivity. • Get notified about current wildfires or wildfire-conducive weather. • Let family and friends know...
By John Cornelison on 6/14/2013 10:07 AM
Tacoma Fault Damage to King CountyIf you have even been curious about the potential impact of all those various earthquakes that geologists have identified – and see which might have the largest impact for a general region like Vashon Island (i.e., parcel level damage estimates are NOT supported!), then check out the State Seismic Hazards Catalog.

...
By John Cornelison on 6/14/2013 8:28 AM
Canadian scientists apply new methods to better understand Pacific coast earthquakes Checking core samples in the lab. Photo credit: Dan Anthon, Royal Roads UniversityUnderstanding the size and frequency of large earthquakes along the Pacific coast of North America is of great importance, not just to scientists, but also to government planners and the general public. The only way to predict the frequency and intensity of the ground motion expected from large and giant "megathrust " earthquakes along Canada's west coast is to analyze the geologic record. A new study...
By John Cornelison on 6/14/2013 6:34 AM
clip_image004The Vashon Maury Island Radio Club and VashonBePrepared invites the public to visit Vashon’s amateur radio volunteers at our 2013 Field Day event. Vashon Hams gather at Sunrise Ridge on June 22 & 23 for Field Day’s 80th anniversary to compete in the largest single amateur radio and emergency preparedness exercise, with over 35,000 operators participating throughout the US & Canada.

Local ham volunteers...
By John Cornelison on 2/12/2013 3:04 AM


Every spring in Tacoma there is a great conference for meeting and sharing ideas with a wide range of disaster experts. Early Bird Registration closes at the end of the month!

Why Attend

Successful management of emergencies can only be accomplished through effective and pre-established partnerships.  This conference offers you the opportunity to develop those relationships; gain the necessary information to develop your response, recovery, and mitigation plans; create your preparedness messaging to those you serve; and gain valuable insight into lessons learned and established best practices.  This is the largest and most successful regional emergency management preparedness conference in the Pacific Northwest – attracting attendees from:

Emergency...
By John Cornelison on 1/24/2013 9:26 AM
imageThe Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) is pleased to announce a 1 ½ hour webinar on Reducing the Risks of Nonstructural Earthquake Damage (FEMA E-74). Please join and share this opportunity with other individuals and organizations who might be interested. See details below and in the attachment.

Webinar Description Nonstructural components of buildings include all elements that are not part of the structural...
By John Cornelison on 1/19/2013 4:53 PM
JustBeThere.infoCongratulations to Vashon islander Daniel Luechtefeld for

Training to support his community, Volunteering (with VashonBePrepared, VIFR, VMIRC, ARES and other community organizations), Responding and actually saving a neighbor’s life, and Volunteering to help make a video of that dramatic rescue. Daniel has served on the VashonBePrepared Board for a couple years now as the Vashon Maury Island Radio Club (VMIRC)’s...
By John Cornelison on 1/3/2013 8:32 AM
The Main Himalayan Thrust has historically been responsible for a magnitude 8 to 9 earthquake every several hundred years. (Illustration: Warren Caldwell)



Will a megathrust earthquake strike the NW in 2013? New Years brings out speculators, and this time it is the Seattle PI, which quotes the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network’s director John Vidale and Stanford University geophysics professor Paul Segall whose studies indicate some potential links between "episodic tremor and slip,"or ETS activity and subsequent quakes.

According to the Stanford release:

...
By John Cornelison on 12/7/2012 10:22 AM
SandyBarametricMap-NOAAIn an admittedly narrow look at just one operation during Super Storm Sandy, professional disaster professionals wasted several days waiting for deployment. Fox’s sensational article...
By John Cornelison on 10/30/2012 7:44 AM
10-30-2012 at 8.38.48 AMWorkers at the University of Washington’s Seismology Lab have concern that the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that occurred on the British Columbia coast over the weekend may pretend future seismic activity in Washington. As reported at King5:

“Earthquakes trigger...
By John Cornelison on 10/8/2012 9:40 AM
Congrats to the variety of people (but especially Randall Bardwell with assistance by Tim Hardy) for huge new progress on getting a second repeater up and (soon) operational for Vashon’s amateur radio community. While it will be able to serve as a backup to the existing W7VMI club repeater, it also is vastly more modern with a super flexible architecture that will allow a much broader array of services and modes in the future. This likely will play a role in enhancing emergency communications in coming years.

Rick Wallace was instrumental in coordinating the Sun rise Ridge board, Voice of Vashon PSE and Potelco to obtain permission and actually get the new antennas installed as shown to the right.

See all his photos, a video, and read more...
By John Cornelison on 10/8/2012 8:57 AM


On Saturday October 13, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Vashon Island Fire & Rescue will open its doors to the public for their annual Open House at the end of Fire Prevention Week.

There will be a flu shot clinic from getaflushot.com, training demonstrations at the Penny Farcy Training Center across the street, "hands on" the fire hose, as well as displays by VashonBePrepared, CERT and the Red Cross.

The following items will be for sale: WHAT'S COOKIN' AT VIFR cookbook; bike, skating, equestrian and ski helmets; "blue" address signs and registration for upcoming CPR classes.

2012 FPW

...
By John Cornelison on 9/28/2012 6:48 AM
Dongshi - September 20, 1999 Nantou Taiwan earthquake  - Image Credit: NOAA National Geophysical Data CenterAfter April’s huge strike-slip earthquake, the USGS reiterated the one earthquake doesn’t jolt others (out of the region) into existence.

However Fred Pollitz of the U.S. Geological Survey is now reporting...
By John Cornelison on 9/25/2012 8:55 AM
iPhone Screenshot 2Be ready for an earthquake with Earthquake by American Red Cross. Get notified when an earthquake occurs, prepare your family and home, find help and let others know you are safe even if the power is out – a must have for anyone who lives in an earthquake-prone area or has loved ones who do.

FEATURES: •Step-by-step instructions let you know what to do even before/during/after an earthquake, even if no data connectivity. •Get notified when an earthquake occurs; see the intensity impact to your area or those of loved-ones with notifications generated by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). •Let family and friends know you are okay with the customizable “I’m Safe” alert for Facebook, Twitter, email and text. •Find open Red...
By John Cornelison on 9/14/2012 9:04 AM
President Obama has declared 20 more disasters than in 2010 and 2 times the numbers declared by President George W. Bush in his first two years in the White House.

Are there really that many more disasters though? Despite all the severe weather this year and portent for much more ahead (partially due to massive declines in Artic Ice levels) and resultant economic losses (e.g., a huge downturn in salmon runs), there may also be some politics at play, with Obama being pressured to declare disasters according to this ABC News report.

By John Cornelison on 9/1/2012 7:30 AM
President Obama has proclaimed September as National Preparedness Month.

Who Ya Gonna CallA 2009 Citizen Corps National Survey revealed only 57% of Americans have supplies set aside in their homes just for disasters, and only 44% have a household emergency plan.

...
By John Cornelison on 9/1/2012 7:11 AM

U.S. seismologists at CA’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography have released a study indicating fault zones weaken in select locations shortly after a fault reaches an earthquake tipping point. This can then transform a smaller series of quakes into a large mega-quake.

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2012/08/30/Study-Hot-spots-may-up-earthquake-size/UPI-89401346363108/

By John Cornelison on 8/31/2012 7:49 AM
You only have seconds. Do you know exactly what to do the moment the ground starts shaking? If it involves a doorway, a triangle, or running – these are not quake-safe actions. Register now at www.ShakeOut.org/washington/register to learn more and practice updated quake safety. Be a part of Washington’s ShakeOut drill.

You are invited to join thousands of people who will Drop, Cover, and Hold On on October 18th at 10:18 a.m. in the 2012 Great Washington ShakeOut!

More than 12.5 million people were registered...
By John Cornelison on 8/27/2012 6:21 AM


The CERT equestrian group is ready to help at a recent drill. From left are Penni Symonds, Beth Kellner, Wanda Moore and Mary O’Brien. Craig Harmeling will join the team soon - Courtesy PhotoThe Vashon Beachcomber has just published a nice story about CERT’s new equestrian team which has been organized by Beth Kellner with help from Penni Symonds, Wanda Moore,...
By John Cornelison on 8/27/2012 6:08 AM


Vashon EOC in full operation during the June 5th 2012 Evergreen Quake Exercise. Photo ff_1283063 by John CornelisonAfter some 7 years in a conference room in VIFR’s main Station 55, the Vashon Emergency Operations Center (EOC) may be relocated next year to the VIFR Association Building across the street. Slightly larger, the room would be shared with King County...
By John Cornelison on 8/2/2012 9:48 AM


Drought over western North America from 800 to 2100.Western North America experienced the strongest drought in 800 years from 2000 to 2004 – but that may be the new normal for the next century. Reduction in carbon uptake during turn of the century drought in western North America – pg 551 – 556,...

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Recent Comments

Re: What to do if you have confirmed or suspected COVID-19 or are worried that you may have COVID-19
No on ventilators. They require a paramedic to insert the tubes and at that point should be off island in a proper care facility. Low flow oxygen is easily available, but those needing it only for COVID should also be in a proper care facility.
Re: What to do if you have confirmed or suspected COVID-19 or are worried that you may have COVID-19
The large national company, Lab Corp, announced that they can do testing as of last Friday. I believe they are used by both clinics on the island. Local clinicians just do a nasal swab as I understand it and then send those in for testing. The test kits reside at the laboratory.

In addition other test facilities exist, but are unlikely to be used directly by island providers. Contact their websites and offices before you go in with any respiratory issues. Their information is likely to change frequently until more is known about the virus.

I don't know about ventilators, but will ask. Thanks for your comment!
Re: What to do if you have confirmed or suspected COVID-19 or are worried that you may have COVID-19
Will Vashon be getting testing kits soon in the hands of all doctors and first responders on island? Can the Gates Foundation help in this regard? Can we get the Neighborcare Clinic better prepared in this regard?

How many ventilators are on island? This is where critical shortages seem imminent.

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